Chinese investments provide tangible benefits to Cambodia's national development: senior legislator

PHNOM PENH -- The Chinese investments have provided tangible benefits to Cambodia's national development in various fields including agriculture, agro-industry, industry, tourism, and infrastructure, a Cambodian senior legislator said.

Speaking at the second China-Cambodia Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum via videoconference on Wednesday, Suos Yara, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Information and Media of the National Assembly of Cambodia, said Cambodia has achieved strong economic growth over the last decades, thanks to its strong economic cooperation with China.

"The mega infrastructure projects of roads, expressways, ports, and airports have significantly developed and modernized Cambodia's connectivity," he said at the forum, which was co-organized by China's Economic Daily, the Asian Vision Institute, and the China Economic Net.

Yara was confident that the trade and investment volumes between the two countries would continue to rise in coming years with the entry into force of the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership this year.

Speaking of the Cambodia-China ties, the senior legislator said the two countries are iron-clad friends and the closest development partners.

Yara said that China has provided millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Cambodia to help the kingdom combat the pandemic in the last two years.

This has not only protected the lives of Cambodians but also helped the country renormalize its economic activities, he said.

Meanwhile, Yara said that Cambodia is a strong supporter of China's global and regional multilateral initiatives, including the Belt and Road Initiative, the Health Silk Road, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation, which are inclusive and based on win-win cooperation and partnership.

"Cambodia and China are equal partners," he said. "Equality, inclusiveness, and mutually beneficial partnership characterize the relationship."